MEP from Forest Gate selected as interim Ukip leader
Ukip interim party leader Gerard Batten Picture: Isabel Infantes - Credit: Archant
A politician from Forest Gate has been selected as Ukip’s interim leader and has promised to make it a “populist party”.
Gerard Batten, who has been an MEP since 2004, took control of the party at the weekend after leader Henry Bolton was ousted following a vote of no confidence.
Party members voted by 867 to 500 to remove Mr Bolton from the role during a crisis meeting in Birmingham. He had only been elected to the post in September.
Mr Batten said: “I feel optimistic that Ukip can and will grow stronger and more successful because ordinary patriotic people want, need and deserve a party that represents their interests.
“Ukip came into being because it filled a political vacuum. That vacuum still exists.
You may also want to watch:
“I want Ukip to be a populist party - popular because its policies are what people actually want.”
He added: “We have had many crises in Ukip and I think this one was about whether we have a future or not.”
Most Read
- 1 Violent gang stuff sock in elderly woman's mouth and steal her jewellery
- 2 Council rents offices to ambulance service to save money
- 3 Covid vaccination hub opening in Westfield next week
- 4 Our planet is in a terrible place
- 5 Police release image after teenager stabbed in Forest Gate robbery
- 6 What a load of old rubbish: Fly-tippers keep charity staff out of building
- 7 Tributes to Newham cop who died after positive Covid-19 test
- 8 Arrests after girl, 16, falls onto tracks at King George V DLR
- 9 NHS nurse assaulted at east London hospital
- 10 West Ham assistant manager Alan Irvine backs Said Benrahma to end goal drought
Mr Batten, who stood for a seat on Newham Council for the now-defunct Park ward in 1993 as an Anti-Federalist League candidate before contesting Forest Gate North as a Ukip candidate in 2002, has also defened his description of Islam as a “death cult”.
He made the comments in a blog written shortly after last year’s Westminster terror attack.
Speaking on Sky News’ Sunday with Niall Paterson, Mr Batten said: “They believe in propagating their religion by killing other people and martyring themselves and going and getting their 72 virgins.
“Not all of them - that’s not saying that all of them do believe that or do that - I’m saying that a significant minority believe that and they are the problem.
“But the trouble is they are justified in those beliefs by a literalist interpretation of their own so-called holy texts.”
Mr Batten, who did not rule out standing for the leadership on a permanent basis, dismissed the suggestion Mr Bolton could take legal action against the party, telling his predecessor: “Get on with the rest of your life.”
A fresh election will take place within 90 days.
